The Week.

Kimberley thoroughly approved the policy of the Foreign Office , and warned their lordships against getting into more complications in the East than England was at present involved in . The other business before the House was of little interest . On the 11 th inst . there was a short discussion in reference to Air . France ' s attack on Lord Redesdale . There seemed to be a

general opinion that the whole affair was a very small one , and their lordships got rid of it by voting confidence in Lord Redesdale . —Subsequently there was a smart discussion on the question of Reform , in which , however , only Earl Russell and the Earl of Derby took part . Earl Russell moved for certain returns relative to the representation of the people , and in

doing so caustically criticised the course which had been taken by the Government in regard to Reform . Subsequently he spoke of Air . Disraeli ' s statement that the Reform Act of 1832 had disfranchised the working classes , and pointed out its fallacy . The speech was exceedingly interesting for its reminiscences of 1832 . The Earl of Derby replied with much

acerbity , and consented to the returns . On the 12 th inst . the only business of importance was the British North American Confederation Bill . Their lordships agreed to the Commons ' amendments to the bill . It now awaits the royal assent . In the HOUSE OI ? COJUJMOXS , on tho 7 th inst ., Air . AA ' alpolo was questioned in reference to the affair . Ho expressed an opinion

that some of tho newspapers had given a more highly-coloured version of tho facts than was necessary . Ho read a telegram which makes allusion to a fight in Kilmallock , where several Fenians wero wounded and three shot dead . Dublin , Cork , Limerick , and Watorford wore reported all quiot . —General Peel brought forward tho army estimates , and in- doing so made a lengthy statement . Ho pointed out that while t-hero was apparently a largo increase in tho estimates , there was very

little increase over what had beon tho actual expenditure of the last two years . Ho showed with much clearness where the apparent increase occurred this year—some of it being accounted for by leap year . In tho course of his statement ho mentioned that the trials which had been made of the converted Snider Enfield had beon very satisfactory . Provision was made in these estimates for 350 , 000 more of these , and

when that number was ready ho rocommended that thoy should stop . Tho gallant general gave an account of how he proposed to deal with the recommendations of the Recruiting Commission , and what were the reasons which had induced him to propose an increase in tho pay of tho soldiers . Another subject which he explained was tho proposed army of reserve , into tho details of

the plan for which he entered minutely . A long and interesting discussion ensued , confined almost wholly to tho proposals as to an army of reserve . On tho Sth inst ., now writs wero moved for tho places vacated by Sir John Pakington , Sir Stafford Northcoto , and Mr . Corry , on taking offices other than those previously held by them . Air . Disraeli had announced his

intention of stating that the Cabinet was complete again ; but , as he showed no signs of fulfilling his engagement , Air . Ayrton asked him a question on the subject , and further as to whether ho would bo able to bring in the Rofonn Bill on tho day he had promised . Then the Chancellor of tbo Exchequer told how the vacant offices had been filled , and expressed his strong hopo of

being able to keep his engagement in tho matter of Reform . — Ou tho motion for going into committee of supply , a long and interesting dobato was begun by Air . AA ' . E . Forstcr in reference to tho legality of employing volunteers in quelling disturbances in this country . Air . Forstor strongly deprecated thoir employ , ment for such a purpose , while Lord Grosvenor advocated thoir engaging in such work , and expressed his conviction that tho demonstration made by them at Chester saved the town from

The Week.

being taken by the Fenians . Subsequently Air . Walpole declared the state of the law on the matter to be that , while volunteers could not be called out in their military capacity to quell riots , they could as citizens use their arms for that purpose . Air . Walpole treated the Chester business as a very serious affair . Air . Bright strongly condemned the employment of volunteers

as suggested , and throw grave doubts upon the alleged Fenian raid on Chester . The debate will bear attentive perusal . —Air Beresford Hope moved a resolution , tho object of which was to declare it expedient that thoro should be during tho Paris Exhibition no Customs search of tho luggage of passengers coming from Franco . —Air . Hunt , for the Government , strongly opposed

tho motion , and arguod that if carried it would lead to much smuggling . Ultimately the motion was withdrawn . On the 11 th inst ., two or three attempts wero made to extract from the Chancellor of the Exchequer somo information in reference to tho coming Reform Bill . Tho attempts were not successful —Air . Locke wished to know when tho statistical information

which Lord Caanborne said had been given to tho Cabinet would be laid before tho House . Tho Chancellor of tho Exchequer said there was no further information than tho House already possessed ; but if there was any now [ information , he had given instructions that it should bo printed . This did not satisfy Air Horsman , who insisted that Lord Cranborne spoke of new

information . Again the Chancellor of the Exchequer denied there was any , whereupon Lord Cranborne said he might bo mistaken , but he certainly understood that the information laid before him was new . There tbo matter ended . —The Government bill for settling the assessment of property for rating purposes on a satisfactory basis was read a second time , and orde-redjjto bo referred

to a select committee . It had not many friends , and not tho least powerful of its assailants was Air . Honloy , who declared that he could hardly imagine that tho ingenuity of man could contrive a bill so calculated to be a perpetual source of worry as [ this . Tho discussion leaves no doubt that if tho bill is ever to pass it will have to be greatly altered—Subsequently the House considered Air . Gathorne Hardy ' s Sick Poor Bill in

committee . ——On the 12 th inst . the House adjourned at twenty minutes to six , chough a reasonable amount of business was on the paper . This was caused by Lord Elcho ' s postponing his motion for leave to bring in a bill on the Scotch game laws . The consequence was that the members having the charge of the other business on the paper , including the Attorney-General ,

were not present when called on , and the business was in that way passed over . —Mr . AI'Lagan moved the appointment of a select committee to inquire into the best means of " preventing fire , and Air . Ewart obtained leave to bring in a bill to enable students to be educated at Oxford or Cambridge without being members of a college or hall in the universities . On the

13 th inst . there was a long and interesting discussion upon abill introduced by Sir Colman O'Loghlen for amending the law of libel . The chief feature of the measure is that it proposes to free newspapers from liability to an action for libel for printing libellous speeches which havebeen made in public assemblies . By the bill the speaker , and not the newspaper , will be held

responsible . In the course of the debate it was suggested that the bill should be read a second time and referred to a select committee . This suggestion was agreed to , and the bill was read a second time . —The Industrial Schools ( Ireland ) Bill and several other bills were advanced a stage .

To Correspondents.

TO CORRESPONDENTS .

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